This disclosure relates generally to a Round Bale Sled System and Method of Use. Examples of prior art can be found at U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,426 A and U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,837 A. None of the known inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant disclosure as claimed.
With reference to FIG. 12, note that a sled assembly 100 would be useful for carrying said one or more round bales 1102 across a ground surface 1210. Said one or more round bales 1102 can each weigh upwards of 1000-1500 pounds. Current trailers for the collection and transportation of round bales are fitted with axels and wheels in the tradition of road trailers. This approach is well suited for hard surfaces such as concrete roads, but not so for plowed fields filled with loose top soil and, often, mud. Accordingly, said sled assembly 100 is fitted with a side runners 504 for the purpose of sliding across the top of said ground surface 1210 as pulled by said tractor 1202.
Sleds are well-known and often used for moving a vehicle across ice and snow in cold climates. Here, however, unlike the prior art, the current sled is adapted for agricultural purposes. First, it is noted that said side runners 504 can each be designed with a plurality of lower runner interfaces 602 in order to spread out the weight of said one or more round bales 1102. This can be paramount to succeeding at carrying upwards of 4 tons of weight across a loose top soil, as is known in the art. Likewise, said rail caps 502 are designed to ensure said side runners 504 do not dig into said ground surface 1210 while moving forward. Further, said hitch assembly 104 is designed for ease of attaching aid sled assembly 100 to said tractor 1202. Similarly, a hitch loop assembly 206 (having a cable portion 208 and a sleeve portion 210) means that said hitch assembly 104 is adapted to absorb quick starts and stops as between said tractor 1202 and said sled 102. As well, said sled 102 is adapted for holding round bales on said cross beams 108 in a novel manner which protects the contents of said one or more round bales 1102 and ensures safe transport of said one or more round bales 1102 off of a soft surface such as said ground surface 1210.
Existing trailers are adapted to use on hard soil and road infrastructure, there is a need for a system for use on soft fields.
Likewise, fields are often full of holes dug by rodents, armadillos, badgers, wild hogs, and the like, a result of which is that wheels will often get caught in these holes.
The benefits of said sled assembly 100 do not stop at ease of transportation. Rather, the field itself is less impacted by said sled assembly 100 than a traditional trailer on wheels. Since weight is spread out on said sled assembly 100, the field is not packed down.
Efficiency is also a focus since farm workers will not be obligated to make so many trips when collecting said one or more round bales 1102 with said sled assembly 100. This is because upwards of six bales are accommodated on the current system. More than six may be possible. For example, by attaching more than one of said sled assembly 100 to one another in the manner of a train, or by extending said side runners 504 and adding additional pieces to said cross beams 108.
No prior art is known to the Applicant.
None of the known inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant disclosure as claimed.